South Africa will support the Central African Republic (CAR) in the process towards reconciliation and elections, even though it does not recognise the CAR’s present government, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said on Thursday.
A military coup took place in the CAR in March when General Francois Bozize seized power from then president Ange-Felix Patasse.
Dlamini-Zuma said she had met with a delegation from the CAR government, including the Minister of Communication and National Reconciliation, Lieutenant-Colonel Parfait Anicet M’Baye, earlier on Thursday.
The South African government had only agreed to receive the delegation once it had consulted the West African Economic and Monetary Community, the regional body to which the CAR belongs, she said.
The delegation asked South Africa to support the CAR in the process of reconciliation and towards elections.
”In principle we said yes. We cannot say we don’t support a process towards democratic elections.”
Dlamini-Zuma pointed out that in terms of an African Union decision, the present regime was not recognised as the legitimate government because it came to power through the use of force.
However, like countries in a similar position, it was assisted to resolve its problems.
She said it was not yet clear specifically what assistance the CAR wanted from South Africa.
”They still need to grapple with it.”
The support South Africa had lent in the Democratic Republic of Congo had prompted the CAR to approach the country as well, Dlamini-Zuma said.
The delegation was also due to have more meetings in South Africa — with the Institute for a Democratic South Africa, the African National Congress, former Truth and Reconciliation Commission member Hlengiwe Mkhize and some business organisations.
”After they had met all these people they might get a sense of what type of support they need.”
The group were due to meet with her again before leaving the country on Sunday, Dlamini-Zuma said. — Sapa